Key additions: Damian Lillard (draft), Meyers Leonard (draft), J.J. Hickson (re-sign), Victor Claver (draft), Joel Freeland (draft), Will Barton (draft), Neil Olshey (GM)
Up in the air: Nicolas Batum (RFA, offer sheet)
Key subtractions: Jamal Crawford, Brandon Roy, Hasheem Thabeet, Nate McMillan (coach)
Three years ago, the Blazers could do no wrong. They've been in a downward spiral ever since. Is this the summer things start turning around in Portland?
I thought Lillard was the best point guard in the draft. He is in for a pretty big adjustment, going from the Big Sky Conference to the NBA, but he is such a hard worker and so fundamentally sound that I think it will happen. Leonard, a project, was a little more of a reach, but he has the requisite size and athletic ability to be a starting NBA center someday. Barton was a bit of steal in the second round. He is a good scorer with a nice midrange game. Overall, they had a strong draft.
The Blazers also added two former first-round picks, Claver and Freeland. Claver, a 3 with a high basketball IQ, played well in Spain last season. Freeland is an athletic big from England. Neither player projects as a star or even a starter in the NBA, but they add depth and should finally give the Blazers some return on their picks.
Hickson was solid for the Blazers last season and is re-signing on a reasonable one-year, $4 million deal.
The biggest question surrounds Batum. The Blazers, despite pronouncements to the contrary, have had to take a deep breath on the Wolves' offer sheet. It's more than they want to pay, but they are loath to just give him away, even with a sign-and-trade, to Minnesota. They'll likely match, but they'll do it reluctantly.
GRADE: B-
